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The Standard Model and USA Today

Posted by chrisd on from the usa-today-tried-to-infograph-it dept.

FredGray writes: "USA Today recently posted a short story titled "1+1 does not equal muon g-2" which explains that the discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental values for the muon's anomalous magnetic moment has mostly evaporated. Unfortunately, the article completely mislays the blame for the initial discrepancy; it implies that there was a mistake in the experiment, but the problem was entirely with one small component of the theoretical calculation known as the hadronic light-by-light scattering term. As a proud member of the experimental group, I would like to ask slashdot to remind the world that we still stand by our result. We are currently analyzing a much larger data set, and we hope to publish a more precise number in the months to come."

19 comments

  1. Hoping to publish by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Perhaps next time you publish, you could do so in a more respectable medium than the USA Today.

    As New Scientist is to Nature,

    USA Today is to:

    A) The NY Times
    B) The Washington Post
    C) The Wall Street Journal
    D) All of the above
    E) None of the above

  2. keep peeling the onion by DrSkwid · · Score: 1

    and you'll find that there is no middle

    If the universe is infinitly large does the converse not hold that it is also infinitely small?

    the dimensionality that our perspective imposes is surely just an illusion

    !ÿ£7you tell I've run out of weed?

    --
    There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
    1. Re:keep peeling the onion by DrSkwid · · Score: 1

      !ÿ£7

      what the frell?

      s/!ÿ£7/can /

      i wish i knew how to type £ my kb is a 105-uk and i've not sussed how to change it from US in enlightenment .16

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
    2. Re:keep peeling the onion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      You're probably submitting comments as Unicode (UTF-16, by the looks). When it's converted back to ASCII you see those results.

      On the web you can submit the pound symbol by typing £

    3. Re:keep peeling the onion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i was using the same konqueror text area i always use

      i typed can and it came out as utf!

      methinks konq got it's knickers twisted

    4. Re:keep peeling the onion by banks · · Score: 1

      explain your logic. i fail to see how infinite size inhertently causes infite iteration of component particles.

      sounds more like pothead/hippy/new scientist reader logic to me than real science. the set all x {x>1} is iherently infinte, but does not iterate infinitely at the small end... it ends at one.

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      --Use this space for notes--
    5. Re:keep peeling the onion by DrSkwid · · Score: 1

      the set

      x {0 x 1} is also infinite

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
    6. Re:keep peeling the onion by DrSkwid · · Score: 1

      bah

      filtered

      x {0 < x < 1}

      is also infinite

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
    7. Re:keep peeling the onion by banks · · Score: 1

      doh. i meant all x (x>=1).

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      --Use this space for notes--
    8. Re:keep peeling the onion by banks · · Score: 1

      the point is moot. you can't proove that infinite size entails that the limit as x approaches the lowest end of the set is infinite by presenting examples of cases in which it does.

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      --Use this space for notes--
    9. Re:keep peeling the onion by DrSkwid · · Score: 1

      You can't prove that the universe is infinite in size either but you hold that to be true.

      All you can demonstrate is a series of hypotheses that don't break down under anthropomorphic mathematical analysis.

      That the universe is infinte is illogical

      That the universe is finite is illogical

      That the universe is made up of particles with a finitely small size is illogical

      That the universe is made up of particles with a infinitely small size is illogical

      My ultimate position is that the composition of the universe is unknowable.

      Knowledge is infinite.

      Our collective capacity for discovery is finite.

      .

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
    10. Re:keep peeling the onion by banks · · Score: 1

      the universe isn't infinite in size nor mass. it has a well defined energy quatization. however, it is so large that the total effect is near infinite. the very idea that the composition of the universe is unknowable is a fallacy. the idea of unknowable fact is a holdover from 19th century mysticism. humanity traditionally reacts to the difficulty of comprehension by labeling something unknowable, obscure, occult. this kind of mysticism is the greatest obstacle to true comprehension of the universe.

      heck, even in your original metaphor, the onion has a center. it'll take a lot of tears to get to the center, but if you keep working at it, you can get there.

      --
      --Use this space for notes--
    11. Re:keep peeling the onion by DrSkwid · · Score: 1

      the idea of unknowable fact is a holdover from 19th century mysticism. humanity traditionally reacts to the difficulty of comprehension by labeling something unknowable, obscure, occult. this kind of mysticism is the greatest obstacle to true comprehension of the universe.

      nope

      you are talking like a unified theorist

      To say that human endeavor will bring all the answers given enough time, I believe, is fallacious.

      I believe we are trapped by our dimensionality.

      We can only look down from our perspective and draw conclusions based in our observation.

      Our 3d space & time world is our limitation.

      It's simple high school stuff. Imagine we are 2d then we can only truly see 2d things. We can see the shadows of 3d objects and draw conclusions as to their cause but we can never truly know.

      .

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
  3. USA Today = Jerry Springer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I would not bother with what USA Today says, They are idiots. The article really conceals a sub-text.

    "Oh look the big brains got it wrong."

    Next time worry if someone who matters says nasty things about your work. USA Today? NAH!

  4. Unprecedented! by nosferatu-man · · Score: 1

    USA Today made a factual error? Never!

    (jfb)

    --
    To spur "enterprise Linux," Big Bang, the distributed two-phase commit.
  5. Devil's Island by The+Lyrics+Guy · · Score: -1

    Megadeth - Devil's Island

    The light that fills my lonely cell,
    Is blocked out by the key,
    That locks the door to this hell,
    The place they wanted me.
    Time's racing like the wind,
    Execution's near,
    Oh lord, I wait for death,
    And, yes, I have no fear.
    I recall that night, my every breath,
    And, step along the way.
    Closed my eyes, walking,
    As danger paved the way.
    The devil, and the darkness
    Let her evil wander free
    And, here on Devils Island,
    The final stop for me.

    Chorus:
    Devils Island, Devils Island.

    Oh, there is no escape,
    The sea is full of sharks.
    The tide takes you away, and
    Smashes you on the rocks.
    The sun is shining,
    But feel not today,
    It's warmth, it's dying,
    And fading away.

    Chorus (repeat):
    Devils Island, [here I stay,]' Devils Island.

    Oh, hear the call,
    From the grave beyond.
    Oh, so pernicious,
    Her soul it creates song.
    As there is no man, that is
    Here upon the earth,
    Able to terminate our
    Noisome will since birth.

    The priest that reads the sermons,
    Is walking next to me,
    To the stake, my last request,
    To have her burn with me.
    But, so it did, the heavens opened,
    Rain began to fall.
    The final judgement came, and
    Was spread before you all.
    Final judgement.

    Old, weak, and feeble,
    But the lesson taught to me,
    To stay away from evil,
    She doesn't care for me.
    She haunts me in my sleep,
    Though I tore that page away.
    And, here on Devils Island,
    I'll always have to stay.

  6. SHEESH! by pedro · · Score: 1

    This stuff should NOT be relegated to a 'back page'! It should be up front and center!

    --
    Brak: What's THAT?
    Thundercleese: A light switch.. of TOTAL DEVASTATION!
  7. Annoying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    ".oO0Oo." is very annoying.


    Please desist.


  8. Annoying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Redundant

    "<B>.</B>o<B>O</B>0<B&g t;O</B>o<B>.</B>" is very annoying.


    Please desist.